First wind farm inaugurated

The sun shone from a clear blue sky, and the icy wind from the Baltic Sea got the wind energy generators running as Statkraft and Södra inaugurated their first joint wind farm in Sweden.

Local councillor Roland Åkesson beamed with pride as he cut the chord and the green wet gas balloon rapidly took to the sky in the crisp wind, to the cheers of about one hundred spectators.

“The municipality of Mönsterås wants more wind energy; we have a forward-leaning renewable energy plan which will contribute to minimising the environmental impact and generate new jobs in the community. The Em wind energy project has provided work for many local contractors, and the hotel and restaurant industry has increased its revenues. The municipality will also receive increased tax revenue due to this effort,” Roland Åkesson said.

“The wind farm here in Mönsterås is not the largest in our portfolio, but it is our first in Sweden,” executive vice president Jon Brandsar of Statkraft said in his speech. “It is, however, an important contribution to Sweden achieving its renewable energy goal. At the same time as it strengthens our position as the largest European player in this field,” Brandsar said.

Statkraft is now Sweden’s fourth largest energy generator, and has thus far based its energy generation on hydropower. The new wind farm in Em, outside Mönsterås, comprises ten wind energy turbines. The ten turbines will produce 55 million KWh in total, enough to meet the electricity needs of about 10 000 households.

“This is a great day for us. As I said, this is our first wind farm in Sweden, but it won’t be the last. Our partnership with Södra is unique, and everything has worked smoothly, not least the turbine deliveries from Enercon. We and Södra both share the same long-term view, and we share same the view on corporate social responsibility,” Jon Brandsar said, sending a special thanks to CEO Leif Brodén.

In his speech, Brandsar also thanked the municipality and its inhabitants for their support for the project.